LOTS OF THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH A STOPWATCH (IANTO'S RETURN)
by emilygreenwood95
Summary: Torchwood are gone - or so Gwen thinks. A surprise visit from a UNIT colonel introduces her to a new Torchwood and with their help she is re-united with old friends.
1. Chapter 1

LOTS OF THINGS yOU cAN dO wITH A STOPWATCH

(iANTO'S RETURN)

Chapter one:

"Like a pretzel" muses Kennedy placing a cotton swab into the test tube held by Jessica who pulls an unamused scowl at his comment.

A sudden camera flash causes the pair to jump "Sorry" Jorden chuckles prowling around the scene in front of them.

"Have I taught you nothing about discretion?" A sharp welsh voice comes from behind the trio who all turn to be greeted by familiar moss green eyes.

"Sorry boss" Jorden grumbles turning the flash off for the next picture of his subject. At the group's feet in the dark side road lit up only by the streetlights is the body of a young man.

The poor soul is contorted into a knotted shape with one leg around his neck and an arm woven through the loop this made.

His back was broken so that he almost looked folded in half if not for the awkward arrangement of his limbs.

Jessica's focus returns to the tablet device in her hands currently monitoring rift activity, police chatter and live news feeds.

Kennedy bobs back down leaning over the victim to take further swabs whilst Jorden takes close-ups of the victims wounds.

"What do ya reckon then? Weevil?" Jorden is shaking his head before Kennedy has barely finished the question.

"Not enough blood not to mention I don't think weevils have an interest in human origami" Jorden smirks at his own words but then looks back at the poor sod in front of them and shivers.

The man looks about his age if not younger it was hard to tell with the large chunks of flesh missing from parts of his face.

The dead man has dark skin with short-buzz cut hair and the remains of what look like a military uniform but again hard to tell with large sections of the fabric missing.

Behind the two men Felicity and Jessica are silent looking anywhere but at the mangled corpse. They were not use to seeing things like this up close "How long do we have left?" Felicity murmurs to the smaller woman and Jessica looks from Felicity to her screen "I'd say about three minutes" as she finishes the sentence, sirens blare in the not so distant distance.

"Or we're already out of time" Jessica yells in a hurried and garbled voice. The group move swiftly packing everything back into rucksacks in seconds and running for the car.

"I didn't get to finish with the scene" Kennedy shouts to their leader "Just get in the car" Felicity growls back.

No black SUV awaits them much to Felicity's shame but a red Skoda Fabia and not for the first time in the last six months Felicity wonders what the hell they are doing? They aren't a secret underground organisation or anything of great substance.

They were just a group of over-enthusiastic nutters with too much money so maybe not that far away from being Torchwood after all.

Back at the base even that seems like a joke to Felicity. Some base just a basic basement apartment underneath her house.

She has converted the small space available into a medical room, holding cells, a kitchen and a main office nicknamed the hub.

The hub consists of four steel desks with three monitors on each one. Several heavy duty cabinets clutter the surrounding space.

At one desk Jessica Miles is inserting various samples from the dead man into various high-tech machines for analysis. In the kitchen around a white table sits Jorden Fellows and Kennedy Kirk devouring a pizza watched by Felicity Jenkins who is leaning against the sink sipping from a strong black coffee.

"Next time we order from them we should order it under Torchwood" chuckles Jorden "Make it official" he adds.

Felicity scowls over the top of her mug not deeming the younger man's joke worthy of response. Kennedy smiles warmly at Jorden "Fancy a hostile take-over? Maybe we'll get prettier assistants then".

Kennedy turns his smile on Felicity winking she rewards him with the sight of her middle finger "Just remember I chose you specifically" she leans forward and smacks each of them over the head "Don't make me regret it"

Felicity opens her mouth to continue the lecture but a loud crackle comes over the speakers in the room followed by Jessica's voice "I have something".

The two men exit the glass kitchen and move into the hub. Jessica's usually smiley face looks worried which snaps Kennedy and Jorden out of their childish mood.

"What is it? Jessie" Kennedy murmurs as Felicity marches over to Jessica's desk and leans over the blonde woman's shoulder "Yes, what are we dealing with?"

She asks pointing to the screen "Private Mark Evans" announces Jessica "Member of UNIT"

Jorden rubs a hand over his face "Oh, fuck-buckets" Felicity stands up straight sighing and Kennedy looks from Jessica to Felicity ignoring Jorden "We're screwed right?" he asks Felicity who nods, sighing again "We're done for before we've even started".


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two:

Gwen Cooper stares up at the mountain of a man currently filling her doorway. The man is dressed in military uniform "Miss. Cooper" the man repeats.

"Yes" Gwen speaks cautiously closing the door slightly behind her "and its Mrs. Williams" her caution is twofold firstly she is worried about Rhys worrying and secondly she is worried because the man is undoubtedly from UNIT.

The man's expression has yet to change since she opened the door remaining a blank mask in fact she had yet to see him blink.

"Colonel Matthews" the man announces extending his hand out to Gwen which she accepts. The colonel steps forward "May I come in Mrs. Williams?"

He must be about six foot five with whispery child-like ginger hair sneaking from under his cap matched with a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp.

"Why?" Gwen feels irritation now. Every time she thinks that her old life is behind her it comes back. The colonel finally blinks "To discuss Torchwood"

Gwen grits her teeth "Torchwood is disbanded has been since the miracle" Colonel Matthews shakes his head "Well that is not entirely true Mrs. Williams" he pulls a file from inside his jacket "Both you and Harkness have been on missions since then" his tone is mocking but Gwen recognises when she is beat and opens the door for the colonel to enter the house.

"Rhys" Gwen calls out "We gave a visitor, put the kettle on will you?"

"Bit late isn't it" Rhys calls back

"I do not want a beverage, thank you" the colonel states blankly as they reach the kitchen Gwen sighs "No, but I do" she slumps into a kitchen chair.

Rhys frowns at the man in his kitchen also recognising the UNIT uniform "And what can we help you with then?" he grumbles heaping sugar into his and Gwen's mugs displaying 'World's best mum' and 'World's best dad'.

Colonel Matthews waves his hand towards the chair opposite Gwen's "May I?"

Gwen extends a welcoming hand "Make yourself at home" Rhys shakes his head at Gwen who smiles apologetically at her husband who is now pouring water over tea-bags.

The colonel sits carefully straightening his back and resting his cap onto the table in front of him. The removal of the cap reveals the mess of ginger hair sprouting unevenly across his skull.

"Mrs. Williams I need you to look at some photographs and tell me if you recognise any of the individuals" Colonel Matthews pulls out some A4 glossy pictures from the same file as earlier. The photos displayed in front of Gwen are of two men and two women focusing only briefly on the pictures she knew already that the faces meant nothing to her.

The image closest to her is of a slightly larger lady not fat just a big built woman with long brown hair falling down to her shoulders in waves and curling at the ends. On top of the woman's head sit a pair of cat-eyed glasses.

The two men in the pictures look like little and large. The one on the left has an almost rat-like appearance despite this his face is weirdly symmetrical with a moustache and slight goatee. This man is tall, lanky with long black hair pushed away from his face.

The second man is short and stocky with a cropped military style haircut; quite an average face, handsome but average. The man's ears look just a little too low on his head and stick out a little too far.

The most distinctive thing is a mole almost star-shaped under his right eye. The final picture is only a headshot which shows a smiling woman with a blonde pixie hair-cut and kind hazel eyes. Her smile uncovers gapped teeth and although her picture is just of her face she seems small to Gwen.

"Mrs. Williams, do you know any of them?" he points from left to right "Felicity Jenkins, Kennedy Kirk, Jorden Fellows and Jessica Miles" he states raising his eyebrows.

Gwen shakes her head "No, I don't recognise any of them" Rhys joins them at the table placing the two mugs in front of him and Gwen.

His attention is caught by the rat-faced man now revealed to be Kennedy Kirk "I know 'im" he exclaims "Odd bugger obsessed with scrap metal and old bits of lorry engine"

Colonel Matthews who had mostly been ignoring Rhys Williams turns his gaze to the Welshman "Where did you meet Mr. Kirk?" he sounds interested almost but not quite animated. Rhys frowns so many different lives to keep track of since Torchwood invaded his life.

"He came into Harwood's Haulage every few months" Rhys pauses "He would ask about how business was going and then ask if I had any broken parts from lorries. He just wanted junk"

The colonel nods "That certainly fits with our profile for him" he nods again looking at Rhys "Do you recall ever giving him any scrap?"

Rhys shakes his head "No, never mainly because I never had anything for him" the colonel nods a third time looking now at the file in front of him.

Gwen and Rhys exchange a knowing look they were being pulled back in again or rather Gwen was. "Why are these people of interest to UNIT?" she clenches her hand slightly "And why are you asking me…us about them?"

Gwen meets the pale grey eyes of the ginger haired man who is frowning opposite her "Because Mrs. Williams they" he points to the photos "Are the new Torchwood"

"WHAT?!" splutters Gwen so incredulous that she spills tea onto her lap swearing loudly. The colonel almost smiles at this and points to the photo of the brunette woman with the glasses "Felicity Jenkins, worked for the Cardiff City police from the age of eighteen but was kicked out two years ago for tampering with evidence" he pauses "She claimed to only interfere with crimes that she believed were alien, her superiors declared mental health issues and she wasn't prosecuted for her actions"

He withdraws his hand from the picture "A year ago Miss. Jenkins father died and she inherited a vast fortune from her grandfather's estate" the colonel puts another picture on the table of a website screen-grab displaying the letter 'T' on a black background with text stating 'view post' with a password request below.

"Found on the dark web we traced this website back to a Claire Ardrey later discovered to be one of Felicity Jenkins alias" the colonel taps the hidden posts "We hacked into the security placed on the posts and discovered it to be some sort of recruitment site disguised as a fan page for alien enthusiasts but focusing on the work of Torchwood in particular" he points to all the photos "And she formed this group using the site" he pauses rubbing his head "Now we've only ever been vaguely concerned about the group that was until earlier tonight when we got this picture"

This next image is dark only lit by streetlights but is clear enough to show the four individuals in question around a corpse on the ground.

"They have started getting more involved in things way out of their league, before this they were harmless scavengers" anger is evident in the colonel's voice "Now they are interfering with things best left to experts"

Gwen looks closely at the crumpled body in the picture "Who's the victim" she murmurs.

"Private Mark Evans, a UNIT solider. UNIT has been investigating rift activity in Cardiff Bay for a while now" Gwen flinches at the mention of the bay remembering the hub's destruction the beginning of the end.

"There has always been rift activity in Cardiff nothing new there" she replies "Why is UNIT investigating it now?"

Colonel Matthews stands up "Classified" he smiles at Gwen but it isn't a kind smile "and as you said Torchwood is disbanded so this wouldn't interest you" he raises an eyebrow "That's right?" the colonel gathers up his file but leaves the photos on the table.

"I'll see myself out" he shakes the hand of a reluctant Rhys "Nice to meet you both".

The moment the front door closes Rhys looks into his wife's eyes pointing at the photos "You're going to Cardiff to find them" not a question anymore Rhys knew better, he knew Gwen couldn't just leave it alone.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three:

Back in a basement hidden in Cardiff City Centre Felicity sits feeling deflated staring at the walls around her. The hub is painted a crisp white with the words Torchwood artfully spray painted onto the back walls. She had made the stencils herself, this whole place is her project.

Jorden has gone from muttering about having his mind wiped to sitting quietly at his desk. First time she'd seen him so quiet since she met him just over six months ago.

Kennedy and Jessica the more dedicated of the group are re-analysing samples taken from the dead UNIT soldier. Jessica was Felicity's first recruit; she was a child-genius who never got the chance to do anything with it due to coming from a poor family. Felicity was impressed with Jessica because during the chaos of the 456 Jessica managed to hack into the Torchwood database and downloaded the entire system before she got locked out again.

There isn't much that Jessica isn't skilled at but her skills as a hacker is what has gotten them this far. Kennedy although relatively unintelligent in comparison is an amazing scrapper who seemed able to make miracles happen when it came to old mechanical parts which he could make into high-tech scientific machines with Jessica's help.

Kennedy's salvaging skills have already led them to a few alien artefacts although nothing that exciting. Then there is Jorden she still isn't quite sure why she chose him other than his very brief experience training as a UNIT soldier. Two weeks to be precise.

As for herself she is a born leader with the funds to make all this happen. But she holds onto the hope of meeting Jack Harkness again. The man who once saved her life not that she is meant to remember that. Retcon doesn't always work it would seem.

The problem with claiming to be Torchwood is that an instant target is now on all their heads and UNIT especially wouldn't let amateurs meddle with any of their operations. But what operation? Why were UNIT in Cardiff? UNIT clearly knew something her new group doesn't.

Maybe her new Torchwood could survive after all? Thrive even if they crack the case before UNIT does. "Stop what you're doing right now!" she shouts standing up in the middle of the four desks.

Jorden looks up with a bored expression on his face whereas Kennedy and Jessica look at her eagerly. "We've been focusing on the wrong things" Felicity declares "Never mind the victim last night or any of this" she picks up an alien device which so far the only purpose they had found for it was melting cheese to the perfect consistency. For the use of an alien chef perhaps?

"We need to focus on the rift not what falls out of it" Jorden turns back to his computer bringing his game of solitaire back onto the screen.

Kennedy looks a little disappointed salvaging alien tech is the thing he enjoys about this whole group; scientific minded Jessica however is beaming.

"I've already been running an analysis on the rift but I can extent it further back" Jessica pauses "I was curious so had already started analysing rift patterns ages ago"

"And?" Felicity enthuses approaching Jessica's monitor.

"Not finished yet" Jessica's smile fades briefly but then flashes wide again "But you'll be the first to know when I have something or rather I'll be the first to know and I'll tell you first" Jessica trails off "But I do have something on our dead soldier if you'd like to hear?"

Felicity frowns "Why wouldn't I?"

Jessica's smile falters at Felicity's severe expression "You just said not to focus on him" she murmurs.

Jorden thumps his hand on the desk "He was a person you know?" he snaps "A living breathing human being and the pair of you dismiss him so easily…just another bit of data to you"

Jessica flinches her mouth turning into a shocked 'o' but Felicity just glares "If you were more proactive within this group like Jessica I would actually believe that you gave a shit but I think I know better so why don't you just admit what's really upsetting you?"

Jorden shrugs "Just ask princess Jessie what she has found out before she starts crying" Jorden says all of this without his eyes leaving the screen in front of him.

Felicity throws her hands up in exasperation and turns back to a sheepish Jessica "Yes, Jessica what did you find concerning the dearly departed?" on her last words Jorden flicks up his middle finger. Jessica giggles at this and strokes a spike of blonde hair back into place.

"He's dead" Jessica states proudly making Kennedy sitting at the desk in front of her laugh "Well I didn't think he looked too healthy last night"

Jessica tuts "I'm well aware that he was dead at the scene last night what I was going to explain is that he died well before then" she pulls up a UNIT personal file onto her screen "Private Mark Evans died years ago during the Thames house tragedy".

This gets Jorden on his feet joining Felicity to peer at the monitor now displaying Mark Evans death certificate and a picture of the dead soldier on the floor with other victims of Thames house.

"But that was over seven years ago, so how?"

Jessica's smile has returned "I've re-analysed his blood and I found signs of crystallisation"

Jorden returns her smile "He had been frozen"

Felicity is frowning "Doesn't explain why his body has turned up now"

Kennedy shrugs "A morbid artist making sculptures?"

Jorden nods "Maybe and apparently they got snack-y for some frozen flesh" he remarks pointing at his own face as a reminder that the UNIT soldier had chunks missing from his face.

Felicity claps her hands together "Okay, new plan Jessica continue analysing the rift activity focus on the last month or so" Felicity then turns a mysterious smile on Jorden "Jorden start drawing up theories on what occurred to our dead man using information on all known aliens" Jorden rolls his eyes saluting before sitting back at his desk and bringing up images of the dead man from last night.

"Kennedy you're with me" and without explanation Felicity puts on her black double-breasted coat tying it up to cover her long floaty dress.

Kennedy slips on his black hoodie "Urmm, what are we doing?" he asks Felicity who is re-packing her backpack with a rift activity monitor, two pistols and a purse full of cash.

She smiles with a flush in her cheeks "We're going back to the scene of the crime" Jorden pulls an aghast face "Why does rat-boy get the fun job?"

Kennedy smirks and Felicity has returned to her usual stern expression "Well as you seemed so concerned about the dead man I figured you'd like to be the one to uncover what happened to him" Felicity raises a challenging eyebrow before turning back to Kennedy "Carry this" she orders shoving her backpack into his hands.

"Yes, boss" Kennedy mockingly saults as Jorden had done earlier. Felicity smacks him on the back of the head and marches towards the base's exit.

"Like ants" Kennedy whispers from their rooftop view. Upon arriving it quickly transpired that UNIT had no intention of departing anytime soon so Felicity's plans on re-examining the scene were gone.

The side road now in daylight is cordoned off from the public with jeeps at either end. It had been Felicity's idea to enter the building they were now on the roof of by using a street further south from the scene.

Kennedy could now see at least twenty UNIT soldiers and one colonel using his binoculars. A white sheet is draped over the corpse "Why haven't they moved it yet?" Kennedy ponders.

Felicity shrugs "They seem to be waiting for something" she murmurs spying mugs in various soldier's hands.

"I could kill for a cuppa" she whispers almost drooling at the thought.

Feeling brave Kennedy looks at Felicity "What's going on with you and Jorden?" he blurts out, colour rises in Felicity's neck but she shrugs "Don't know what you mean"

"C'mon there is a lot of tension there" he winks as he says 'tension' and laughs at the scowling woman crouching next to him. But before the conversation can continue Felicity's attention is drawn to the sound of an engine and they both watch a silver people carrier pull in at the top of the street.

The jeeps part for it and the UNIT colonel approaches the driver's side. The figure that exits causes Kennedy and Felicity to do a synchronised gasp for below them is the unmistakeable sight of Gwen Cooper. Her dark hair styled much the same as always and dressed in a leather jacket, purple t-shirt and dark grey jeans.

Through the binoculars Felicity can see Rhys Williams standing by the passenger door with a small child's hand reaching for him presumably the couple's daughter.

"Well, I didn't see that coming" Kennedy remarks smiling "Where there is Gwen"

"There might be Jack" Felicity replies beaming at the idea.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four:

On the street Gwen remains by the car unsure whether she wants to get involved. Being back in Cardiff makes her feel lots of emotions all at once but mostly she just feels haunted.

Colonel Matthews is approaching but Gwen's attention is on Anwen. Her daughter is talking animatedly to Rhys. Bringing her daughter to a potential murder scene no mother of the year award for her.

After the UNIT colonel visited their home Gwen and her family packed up and drove down to Cardiff immediately. They had barely reached the city borders before being greeted by UNIT soldiers who escorted them to the site.

Colonel Matthews clearly knew that Gwen wouldn't be able to leave his little 'Torchwood' bombshell alone.

Colonel Matthews shakes Gwen's hand but leaves Rhys talking with Anwen. "So is this it? the crime scene that you mentioned last night?"

Gwen follows the colonel through a group of UNIT soldiers over to a lump covered in white sheet. The smell of decomposition hits her "What's it still doing here? Couldn't give the poor soul some dignity?"

Colonel Matthews looks a little hurt by this "I respect all of my men but I wanted you to see this with your own eyes not just a picture" with that he uncovers the body revealing the remains of a young soldier his limbs manipulated in a weird knotted shape. The wounds to his face and neck have started to bloat but still look tear like in nature.

Gwen shivers "So what was that classified information?" she manages to say without gagging at the smell.

Colonel Matthews passes Gwen a file which she hadn't noticed him holding but she assumed it to be the same one from the previous night "This man" the colonel swallows loudly "Died seven years ago in Thames House" the words hit Gwen hard as memories creep into her thoughts "There are signs that the body was been frozen before it was dumped here" Colonel Matthews continues.

"And we're hoping you can help get this fledging Torchwood problem out of our way whilst we do our job" Gwen's mind is still on Thames House but she is listening enough to nod in agreement.

"So where do I find them?"

Colonel Matthews points to the file "We've narrowed the search area to a mile radius but everything you need to know is in there, I'll be seeing you in a few days for an update" the Colonel moves off and begins directing the removal of the body.

Gwen returns to Rhys in the car "So where to now?" Rhys asks looking tired

"The hotel for you two and as for me" Gwen scans the file containing a mass of possible addresses for a Miss. Felicity Jenkins, Gwen looks back up at Rhys "As for me I'm doing some old fashioned police work…going door to door"

Gwen's hunt so far had achieved five utterances of 'fuck off', three occasions of no answer and ten 'sorry can't help's.

She is now parked in the last street that could contain Miss. Jenkins residence and she is now regretting letting Colonel Matthews draw her into this not because of danger but boredom.

Why should she care if a bunch of nutters were picking up where Torchwood left off? Simple answer really because people die in Torchwood. Well people die in life too but it still wasn't the same.

Why did that body have to be from Thames bloody House. She pulls a bag of salted peanuts from the glove box not the best snack but it's all she has left in the car from the journey last night.

In the file it details that Private Mark Evans was laid to rest 15th July 2009, clearly not well enough rest considering the frozen corpse left mangled in the street.

Three big questions niggle at Gwen about the body; who stole it before burial and how? who froze it and why? And Who or what took chunks of flesh from its face and why?

On top of this was the complication of this home-grown Torchwood tribute group. Felicity Jenkins based on her file came across as a power hungry nerd with too much money and an authority complex but as for the other three she isn't quite sure of and had yet to form any concrete opinions.

Eating another handful of peanuts, she almost chokes when she notices two figures at the far end of the street from her. As they get closer there is no mistaking them as being the people from the photographs. Felicity Jenkins complete with cat-eyed glasses and Kennedy Kirk complete with moustache and goatee combo.

The pair get to the middle of the street and stop at a very average looking detached house with peeling red paint on the front door. The pair glance quickly around them before entering the house and the moment the door shuts Gwen leaves her car before dashing towards the same house.

Reaching the door, she pauses taking a moment to collect herself taking note of a spy-hole before rapping her knuckles against the thick wood of the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five:

Kennedy and Felicity linger in the hallway they had barely walked inside when the loud knocking started.

The pair smile at one another "Didn't take long?" Felicity remarks they knew Gwen had been outside because they had followed her from the crime scene. When it became clear that they weren't going to get anything from the body what with UNIT swarming the place they turned their focus onto Gwen Cooper.

She is of a much greater interest to them considering that she is the last surviving member of the real Torchwood. The knocking starts up again and once more Kennedy is peeking through the spy hole "She's even hotter in the flesh" he whispers smirking back at Felicity "Aren't we going to let her in?"

Felicity shakes her head "Not quite yet"

They are in her house or rather Katie Green's house which is the second of her two alias. Katie Green owns both the normal residence above ground and the basement apartment used as the hub. The access into the hub is through a floor hatch fitted within the downstairs bathroom its exact location being the floor inside a dummy shower.

Felicity standing in front of the shower now pulls up the hatch and climbs down the metal ladder into the basement hub landing onto the floor with a thud. Jessica and Jorden don't even look up from their monitors. Kennedy has started to climb down "Keep the hatch open for our guest!" she yells shaking her head.

Kennedy climbs back up and pushes the hatch up propping it against the shower wall, Felicity meanwhile has slipped her coat onto the back of her chair and is hurriedly typing in a remote access code for the doors. Watching the CCTV, she sees Gwen Cooper looking startled by the front door opening by itself.

Then she watches as Gwen enters the house and Felicity using her computer closes the door behind Gwen. Kennedy is excitedly filling in Jorden and Jessica about the nature of their visitor.

They all hurry to their desks in order to watch the CCTV on their respective monitors occasionally calling out where Gwen was or what she was doing despite them all watching the same thing.

"She's in my room!" exclaims Jessica frowning as they watch Gwen searching through drawers and feeling along surfaces.

"What is she doing?" Jorden mutters

Felicity points to the hatch in the ceiling "Looking for a concealed entrance"

They continue to watch Gwen scouting out the upstairs where the bedrooms and the main bathrooms are before returning downstairs to the living room, kitchen and finally the bathroom with the dummy shower its floor hatch propped open.

"I'm disappointed it took her so long" Jorden murmurs and Felicity tuts "She had to double check for any threats before continuing" she tuts again "No wonder you never became a soldier" Jorden smirks at her but utters a few profanities under his breath about a female dog.

Jessica is enthralled as the monitor shows Gwen enter the hatch and all four of them stand coming to the front of their desks and turning their gaze to the ladder in the far corner of the room.

Gwen is greeted by four sets of eyes, the faces belonging to the people from the photographs. Jessica Miles is indeed pocket sized as Gwen predicted no taller than five foot dressed in dark jeans with a dark green vest tucked into the waist-line of her trousers.

Jorden Fellows however is taller than his picture made him look about five, seven at least but looks tiny next to Kennedy Kirk who is at least six, five.

Both men are dressed similar; Kennedy in a blue V-neck, black hoodie and jeans, Jorden in a white vest top, blue hoodie and smart navy dress trousers.

The room around her is a simple enough office with four desks forming a square in the middle. On the furthest wall from her is the Torchwood logo much as it had been in the old hub. Her hub.

To the right of the office is a kitchen encased in thick glass walls and on the left wall is a thick dead-bolted metal door and next to that a white door with a red cross symbol on it.

"Quite the set-up you have here" Gwen states not quite sure now how to handle the situation. The set-up although amateur is still more organised than she had prepared for. With remote access doors, hidden entrances and now this, this base.

They had a proper base of operations "So let me guess" Gwen ponders aloud pointing to the white door "Medical room" pointing to the metal door "Holding cells" Felicity so far standing slightly behind her team steps forward.

"It's such an honour Miss. Cooper" she beams extending her hand.

Gwen accepts it "Well I can't say the same" she mumbles "And its Mrs. Williams but best just call me Gwen" she adds as an afterthought.

Felicity recoils slightly from Gwen's words "Yes, well Gwen I'm Feli…"

Gwen holds up a hand to stop her "Yes, I know who you are" she takes a breath "I know all your names and have just read a very long boring UNIT file on each of you" she gestures around her "So what exactly do you think you're doing here?" then she points to the back wall "And who gave you permission to use Torchwood's name…hmm?"

Felicity stops smiling her usual stern expression returning. Idol or not she didn't like being patronised. "No, I didn't ask permission but there was hardly anyone to ask" Felicity peers mockingly around Gwen's shoulder "No, Jack then?".

The two women meet one another's gaze and Gwen steps forward happy to realise she matches the other woman in height.

"I'm shutting this place down before anyone gets hurt because of it" Jorden steps forward to join his boss's side.

"Gwen, big fan yard-a yard-a but you're a little outnumbered" he grins as Jessica and Kennedy step forward to join them.

Jessica's smile is warm as she looks at Gwen "Yes, big fan. Huge respect for your work but you see we really love what we're starting here and" she doesn't get to finish her sentence as all the monitors in the room begin to flash.

"Rift activity" Kennedy announces grabbing his back-pack from behind his desk this action is mirrored by his co-workers.

Gwen stands feeling appalled by their reaction towards her but also a pang of yearning as she remembers the old days of Torchwood. They would get an alert and all spring into action just as this group were doing so now.

Around her the four individuals all with back-packs slung over their shoulders are heading for the ladder that she had just climbed down moments before.

"Hang on a minute" Gwen shouts "You are to go nowhere near that signal" but Jessica, Kennedy and Jorden are already heading up the ladder. Felicity is the only one who has remained "The way I see it Gwen you only have a handful of choices. Physically restrain or kill all four of us, rat us out to UNIT to deal with or come with us" she pauses "You know to keep an eye on us" she pauses and Gwen speaks for her by walking straight for the ladder climbing up it, followed closely by Felicity.

"Good, choice" Felicity smiles "Now let's take your car it'll be a bit snug in my Skoda" Gwen opens her mouth to protest but then reaches for her keys at least they would be easier to keep in check with her around. That is until she could find a way to stop them. Maybe she could convince Felicity to disband the group or she could find the weak link of the group and take the group down that way.

Once this band of misfits stopped gallivanting around Cardiff, Gwen could get back to her new life as a wife and mother. And maybe then she will finally leave her old life behind.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six:

Felicity had expected disapproval from Gwen what she hadn't bargained on was how much it stung. To Gwen her team were just a bunch of nutters play acting the life that was once hers. But their inexperience didn't mean naivety.

They have all studied hard and prepared themselves mentally for the various challenges that they could face involving the rift, aliens or the humans who know about it e.g. UNIT.

Felicity in particular had read up on all available information concerning Torchwood and Captain Harkness.

Around her in the car it is silent, no one is speaking presumably because like her the others are star-struck by Gwen, Felicity looks at the other woman's lightly pouty expression before twisting around to face her team in the back

"How much further?" She demands eyes trained onto the top of Jessica's head who is tying into her laptop, Gwen doesn't move her head but flicks her eyes to the rear-view mirror.

Jessica looks up from tracking their progress "About two minutes to the source of the rift activity" Jessica replies brightly.

Kennedy is fiddling with a radar device and Jorden is staring out of the window occasionally puffing his checks out to steam up the glass.

"So what have you guys tracked down so far" Gwen enquires "You've been going six months, right?" Felicity twists back to face Gwen "Urmm" she bites the inside of her mouth Gwen is smiling.

"You 'aven't found anything have you?" Felicity opens her mouth and then closes it like a fish gapping for air.

This gets hold of Jorden's attention Felicity his hard faced leader, the strongest woman he knows is flummoxed.

Gwen Cooper, one of Felicity's heroes is questioning her, challenging her, judging her and poor Felicity looks embarrassed.

Jorden feels a pang of sympathy for her that he was not expecting. Sure he joined this group for the free accommodation and the cool gun whereas Jessica liked being able to use her big brain making up equations for analysing rift energy etc. and Kennedy liked salvaging whatever they found into useful devices. But compared to those reasons for Felicity this little group meant absolutely everything to her and she desperately wants to honour the original Torchwood.

Now here is the last surviving member of Torchwood three and she is judging Felicity as a fraud.

Jorden glares at the back of Gwen's head "We're only getting started love" he growls from the back-seat. Gwen raises her eyebrows but doesn't turnaround.

"Thanks" Felicity mouths at the younger man who shrugs in response.

"This is it" Jessica announces looking up and noticing for the first time the tension inside the car. They were parked by the side of five warehouses and in one swift movement they all exit the vehicle back-packs equipped minus Gwen who rolls her eyes before following the group.

Jessica is ahead holding a small hand-held scanner high in front of her, searching for the exact source of the rift energy.

"Over here" she calls scurrying towards the central warehouse with a heavy looking shutter. Kennedy smiles he loves this bit, the not knowing what they are going to find and Jorden simply shrugs as usual and trails after them.

Felicity and Gwen are side by side at the rear of the group and both women are silently impressed with the team in front.

Jessica is now at the warehouse with the scanner pressed against the entrance trying to get a more accurate reading.

Either side of her Jorden and Kennedy have their guns ready. It is the first time Gwen has seen them armed and she marches in front of Felicity "Whoa, whoa, whoa" she explodes "They better be toys!" Felicity pulls out two hand-guns from her coat pockets and hands one to Gwen.

"Answer your question?" she states in a bored tone.

Gwen recognises the weight of it and her eyes widen "And here I was still hoping it wasn't loaded" she sighs tucking it into the waistband of her jeans, this group kept on getting less and less harmless.

The two women head off to join the others "Got anything? What do you think we're dealing with?" Felicity asks.

Jessica shrugs "Door's too thick for a proper scan so there's only one way to find out" Gwen wants to protest; this is not how she expected this situation to play out. She was meant to shut the group down not tag along and join them but it was so easy to get sucked in.

They were so excited so full of wonder and potential. They each remind her of well her when she first started with Torchwood back when it still seemed fun

Aliens, adventure and comradery "Better get this opened then?" Jorden enthuses bending down examining the lock "Think you can break this?" he looks up at Kennedy who cracks his knuckles and crouches down beside Jorden. He pulls out a small crow-bar from his bag and lodges it in the lock yanking down hard.

The bolt snaps and the two men swiftly pull the shutter upwards before re-drawing their guns. Daylight pours into the open space revealing…nothing.

It was completely bare; concrete floor with metal walls and nothing else. "Well that is disappointing" Jorden sighs tucking his gun back into the front pocket of his ruck-sack. Kennedy and Felicity do the same.

"Where have all the aliens gone?" huffs Felicity "Did you have this much of a problem finding them?"

Gwen shakes her head "Couldn't get rid of them really, we never got a break from it all"

Felicity visibly slumps "All the rift has spit out in the last six months is alien junk" she pauses "Well other than the body last night, that was the first interesting thing the rift has given us"

Gwen frowns "Really six months and no aliens?"

Felicity nods "Nope, nothing"

"Nothing?" Gwen repeats "No weevils even?"

Felicity shakes her head "Just the one but that happened right at the start, we went looking but even they are all gone now"

Gwen looks at Felicity "Sometimes not finding anything is something, no weevils in Cardiff that means something odd is happening"

Felicity frowns "So it's not aliens we should be investigating but the lack of them?" Gwen realises what she has just said and what it has set in motion in the other woman's mind.

"Or its just good luck and the rift is no longer as active as it once was" she tries sheepishly begging the other woman not to latch onto any ideas.

"Actually the rift has daily spikes but nothing comes through" neither woman has noticed Jessica's approach.

"I've found the source of the rift activity" Jessica continues and in her hand she unveils a silver stop-watch its glass face slightly cracked.

Gwen's heart starts to thump she knows that stop-watch or it at least reminds her of one but it can't be the actual one. The one she is thinking of should be buried with its former owner. Ianto Jones.

But then she thinks of Private Mark Evans died in Thames House and whose body has turned up seven years later despite having been buried.

She dismisses the thoughts building in her mind; she went to Ianto's funeral and before that his body had been kept in a secure UNIT mortuary.

Surely no one could have stolen his body and why was just his stop-watch here not the body. Nope must just be a freak coincidence 'no such thing' she hears Jack's voice ring in her mind. She doesn't share these thoughts with the others. They are strangers but useful strangers.

Sorry Colonel Matthews she thinks but Torchwood are back, Gwen smiles at the group in front of her "Felicity, are you hiring?"

Felicity's eyes practically shoot out of her face "For you we are" she splutters.

"Good, let's get back to the base" Gwen says clapping her hands together marching back to the people carrier.

Star-struck and confused the group doesn't even question their new leader not even Felicity could oppose Gwen Cooper.

Back in the car Felicity now at the wheel with Gwen in the passenger seat who is staring at the stop-watch in her hands. Every nick and scratch matches the image in her mind of Ianto's stop-watch.

Her eyes begin to water nope not his she repeats in her head. As she strokes the watch's surface her thumb hits the button on top.

The watch's hands start to tick round and when she tries to stop it again the hands continue.

"Urmm, Jessica?" Gwen murmurs "I think you best start analysing this straight away when we get back" she passes the watch into the back and into the younger woman's hands.

Felicity looks at Gwen "You've changed your tune? What ever happened to shutting us down?" Gwen smiles "For old times" she murmurs not admitting the real reason: fear.

Something wasn't right; no aliens in Cardiff and now the stop-watch.

No, not his stop-watch. Can't be.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven:

"Who's giving me the grand tour then?" Gwen announces looking around the room; Jessica is already at her desk placing the stop-watch into a machine by her monitor.

Kennedy smiles bowing to Gwen "Allow me"

Felicity nods "I'm going to turn in, nice to meet you Gwen" she nods going back up into the main house a few moments later Jorden excuses himself announcing that he was 'all tuckered out'.

Gwen raises an eyebrow pointing upwards she doesn't even have to ask the question Kennedy is already nodding "But they think we don't know"

Gwen smiles an underling shagging the boss, so they were truly embracing Torchwood life. Kennedy unlocks the strong metal door using a passcode before sliding open the many bolts.

The room inside is just as white as the main office but with six holding cells with the same thick glass as the kitchen.

"Sound proof" Kennedy announces a hint of Scottish to his accent "We have micro-phones and speakers installed for communication" he sighs "Not that we've had cause to keep anything in here" he pauses "Unless you count the time I shut Jorden down here for being annoying"

Gwen nods "Is the pay good?"

Kennedy laughs "We're not paid; Felicity covers our living expenses but that's it" he points up to indicate the house above "The free accommodation is nice"

Gwen frowns "You've all been living together for six months?"

Kennedy nods "It's really brought us…further apart" he chuckles and Gwen smiles back following the lanky man out.

He starts the lengthy process of re-locking the door "I know you think we're just a bunch of amateurs, fakers, playing a game etc. etc. but this is serious for us" Gwen wants to argue but just holds her hands up in surrender before following him into the medial room.

Again the walls are a crisp white a lot cleaner looking than Torchwood's old base. This room is just like an ordinary hospital examination room apart from a giant metal full body scanner a bit like an MRI but with a glass roof to it.

Kennedy grins "Me and Jessica made it, this machine can detect every known disease, illness or injury" he notices Gwen looking distracted "Among other things" he trails off.

She smiles gently "Sorry" and looks around the room "I don't mean to dismiss everything you and your team has built but this has been an odd day and I'm worried it's going to get weirder" her mind goes back to the stop-watch. Kennedy nods escorting Gwen across the main room and into the kitchen.

"Also sound proofed" Kennedy explains and points to a speaker in the corner of the ceiling "But Jessica can talk to us through that if needs be" he flicks the kettle on "Cuppa?"

Gwen groans "Yes, please" and sinks into a white kitchen chair. She hasn't slept since Colonel Matthews visited her house last night. During that time, she has discovered a new Torchwood, met them and accidently joined them. Then there was that stop-watch.

Kennedy turns from the kettle and notices Gwen is now slumped over the table fast asleep. He leaves the boiled kettle and walks back out into the main office. Gwen Cooper in their kitchen. Unbelievable.

Jessica is still at her desk typing manically at her keyboard "You alright, Jessie?" yawns Kennedy.

Jessica's head bobs "Just looking through the rift data manually now" she meets Kennedy's gaze her eyes red-ringed "Gwen Cooper" she marvels aloud.

Kennedy yawns again "Asleep in our kitchen" he states "Lucky her" he yawns again.

Jessica frowns "Why don't you go up to the house and sleep? I'll call once my analysis on the watch is finished"

"Cheers, Jessie" he smiles touching her shoulder before heading for the ladder. Jessica yawns wishing she could sleep too but it had been such a strange day she wouldn't be able to settle. Going back to her work she fails to notice the stop-watch begin to wind backwards.

Gwen awakes with a start and bangs her head on the table that she had been resting on "Fuck" she exclaims it was her phone ringing that had woke her "Fuck" she says again seeing Rhys on the caller ID.

"Gwen, it's been over a day now, where are you?" Rhys sounds worried "Anwen has been asking for you" Gwen sighs explaining the last few hours, Rhys interjecting a few 'Oh, Gwens'.

She speaks to her daughter briefly until she notices Felicity, Jorden and Kennedy hurrying down the ladder and into the room opposite "I've got to go sweetheart, love you" it broke Gwen's heart hanging up on her daughter but she could see in the other room a change in atmosphere. Something big was happening.

Gwen stands up swaying as blood rushes to her head, oh god did she feel rough in need of a good shower and maybe some mouthwash.

The group all look up as she enters the office room "We've got the results back from the stop-watch" Felicity starts "It's a communication device" she continues.

Gwen frowns "You sure?" not his stop-watch then.

Jessica nods "It's been and still is admitting a distress signal and a strong one at that"

"How strong?" Gwen asks knowing the answer already

"Strong enough to communicate into the rift" Felicity says, just as Gwen had thought.

"That signal could be reaching out to anyone or anything" Kennedy concludes "and be drawing them to Earth".


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight:

Gwen is upstairs getting cleaned up whilst the team discuss the news "Maybe we'll get some aliens now" muses Jorden rubbing his hands together.

Felicity smacks the back of his head "Don't" she snaps, Jorden mouths 'what' confused as to what he said to offend her.

Jessica is frowning "This doesn't explain that UNIT soldier or the stuff about the missing weevils"

Jorden rolls his eyes "Again, with the weevils I thought we'd heard the last of that" he sighs "Good old Gwen Cooper stirring up the crazy"

Jessica pouts at this "Aliens don't just disappear not without help"

"No one cares about the weevils, Jessie"

"I do" Felicity snaps "Gwen, pointed out something none of us noticed at least not properly" Jorden sighs "And what is that exactly? I don't follow you"

Felicity points to the holding cells "No, aliens but rift spikes every single day"

Jorden shrugs "UNIT are getting there before us?" he looks at Felicity "They are in Cardiff after all maybe they've been clearing up without our knowledge"

Kennedy nods "Makes sense, they are the experts"

Felicity thumps the desk "Don't say that! We are a new team but we are not morons" she sighs "We haven't found any aliens because none are here" she looks around the room "Agreed?"

Agreed the group chorus in reply "Good, now let's hope whoever is getting that distress signal is friendly" she states pointing to the stop-watch.

Gwen used her alone time to talk to Rhys and Anwen. Eventually telling Rhys to go back home with Anwen without her just while she dealt with whatever was happening in Cardiff.

It was now eleven in the morning just under two days since Colonel Matthews visited her home and started this whole mess.

Damn Felicity Jenkins whatever possessed that woman to use her millions to hide away in a basement? The same urge that made Gwen spend her days underground too, to be a part of Torchwood of something bigger than herself.

Maybe Torchwood is just a concept, one that never truly disappeared especially with the likes of Felicity Jenkins around. Gwen clean and refreshed starts to head for the bathroom with the basement entrance when the gang come spilling out into the hallway, backpacks slung over their shoulders. Kennedy flings one in her direction "The watch stopped" he yells.

"Rift activity at the same location as where we found the watch" Jessica adds beaming, Gwen reaches into her pocket for her car keys not there. Felicity jangles them in front of her.

"Kennedy and Jessica go with Gwen in the people carrier, Jorden you're with me in the Skoda"

Even Jorden is too on edge to protest, it's now that Gwen notices the stop-watch in Jessica's hand "Can I take that?" Gwen asks, Jessica hands it over and Gwen slips it into her jacket pocket as they all file out of the house and into the vehicles.

"So tell me about yourselves" Gwen says smiling into the rear-view mirror as she starts the car's engine. Kennedy and Jessica exchange blank glances in the back.

"You've probably read all about us already" Kennedy remarks cheerfully but not quite hiding a bitter edge.

Jessica scowls at Kennedy then smiles sweetly at the back of Gwen's head "Excuse him, we're not much for taking about ourselves"

Typical Torchwood Gwen thinks to herself and the passengers fall silent for the rest of the journey save for Jessica giving out directions.

Arriving at the warehouses Jessica pulls out her rift tracking device "This place is buzzing with rift energy" she enthuses looking at Gwen who smiles and nods in response.

They wait in the car as the Skoda Fabia parks up beside them, Felicity leaps out looking fierce with Jorden trailing behind looking equally moody.

Gwen, Jessica and Kennedy leave the safety of the people carrier "What now?" Kennedy enquires of the moody pair.

"He reckons I'm lazy" Felicity snaps "I'm a leader it's my job to delegate from time to time"

Jorden scowls "Well this leader made me drive whilst stuffing her face with chocolate" Gwen stifles a laugh at this gaining the attention of four sets of eyes.

"Sorry, but you're arguing about chocolate when the biggest moment of your lives could be just over there" she points at the warehouse where the stop-watch was found yesterday.

Not his stop-watch she reminds herself just looks like it. Felicity has visibly snapped back into focus her gun drawn she begins marching towards the warehouse.

Once at the shutter the group assemble in the same position as yesterday. Jessica in the middle with her monitor in hand, Jorden and Kennedy either side of her to lift the shutter.

Gwen and Felicity are behind with their guns trained either side of Jessica "Ready for this?" Gwen asks the four of them. Ready comes four replies.

With that the two men heave the shutter upwards and inside the warehouse is essentially as they'd left it yesterday. Bare apart from at the centre of the room is now a body laid flat on its back.

The group slowly proceed into the space and Gwen's heart has begun to pound in her ears because even from a distance she can already see the body is wearing a smart, well-tailored suit waistcoat over a white shirt and has short well styled brown hair.

She hears Felicity gasp in horror and murmurs of confusion as all four of her new companions turn to watch Gwen as she takes in the still, lifeless face of Ianto Jones.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine:

"But that's impossible" Gwen stammers it'd been just over ten years since she first joined Torchwood and learnt of the existence of aliens and the rift but she still couldn't believe half the things she's seen in that time.

Felicity hovers near the body unsure of how to proceed after all the body had once belonged to Gwen's friend. Jorden however has been scrambling through his back-pack, Jessica and Kennedy are already discussing how best to transport the body.

Jorden finds what he is looking for: a stethoscope "Aha" he exclaims getting closer to the body. Bobbing down Jorden places the stethoscope's ear-pieces into his ears then puts the metal disk on Ianto's chest.

"Urmm, Jorden he's been dead for years" Felicity half-shouts looking worriedly at Gwen. Well that was bloody insensitive of her.

Jorden unplugs the stethoscope his face stunned "Except he isn't" he looks from Gwen to Ianto's body "He, he has a heartbeat" Gwen clutches her chest "He's breathing" Jorden adds. Felicity joins Jorden crouched down next to the body. Very slowly she leans forwards placing an ear to the man's face and feels a faint breath hit her skin.

"Holy shit" she murmurs jumping up to her feet, Gwen stands frozen to the spot mind reeling. Well then looks like I'm in charge Felicity thinks "Kennedy, Jorden you too put the bod." She pauses unsure how to refer to Ianto if it was really Ianto "The individual into the back-seats of the Skoda. Jessica; you and Kennedy ride back with Gwen in the people carrier" she turns to Jorden "Dr. Jorden" she smiles "You're with me in the Skoda"

This gets Gwen's attention "That" she points to the body "Is not leaving my sight" she growls marching towards the people carrier "It goes on in my car" she shouts unlocking the electronic doors with her keys "Jorden you can drive" she tosses the people carrier's keys at an unprepared Jorden who only just catches them.

Gwen having reached the car stands firmly by the passenger side door watching the group in the warehouse. Felicity thinks about protesting but nods to Kennedy and Jorden who take positions beside the body.

Kennedy moving to the top of Ianto's head takes hold of him under the armpits and Jorden grabs hold of Ianto's feet.

"1, 2, 3" Kennedy orders grunting as they lift the body off the ground and slowly head for the open back doors of the people carrier.

The moment Ianto's body is safely laying on the backseats Jorden doubles over groaning "God, he's heavy"

Kennedy rubs the back of his shoulders "Suspiciously heavy for a bloke that size" he agrees.

Gwen frowns getting into the passenger seat "Just strap it in will you? And get in" she directs at Jorden, Kennedy shrugs and heads for the Skoda.

Felicity is sitting in the driver's seat but Jessica is still waving her rift device around she spots Kennedy and waves "The rift energy is like nothing we've come across and then there's him" she points to the people carrier where Ianto's body is "Anyway it seems that there is still something communicating from here going into the rift"

Kennedy looks towards the people carrier "The stop-watch?" Jessica nods "probably" she agrees.

Kennedy heads for the Skoda "You done here, Jessie?" he calls over his shoulder.

"Done" she replies scurrying after his long strides.

"How exactly do we get him down?" Kennedy grumbles. Ianto's body is laying outside the shower as Kennedy stands by his feet and Jorden hangs onto the top railing of the ladder "Could just chuck it down" Jorden replies "The bloke's already a miracle so could probably survive a short fall"

"You'll do no such thing" Gwen's voice hollas from the basement below.

"C'mon boys just put some effort in" calls Felicity

The two men exchange tired glances "But how?" Kennedy mouths looking at the body then the ladder.

Jorden shrugs grabbing Ianto under the shoulder with one hand and dragging it over to the hatch. Jorden then slips down the ladder enough to let Kennedy onto the ladder so that he can grab hold of one side of Ianto.

"Fucking hell" he exclaims as the weight of the body falls against his own and Jorden catches it just before Kennedy is pushed off the ladder.

The pair awkwardly take turns taking the full weight of the body whilst the other heads further down the ladder.

Jessica giggles at the bizarre sight "We should have installed a lift" Felicity and Gwen turn stony faces onto the young woman which stifles her amusement.

Kennedy and Jorden having reached the floor flop the body ungracefully to the ground before lying down next to it.

"I'm bloody knackered" Jorden huffs then looks up at Gwen and Felicity "Now what?"

"Don't ask them that?" Kennedy groans

Gwen steps towards where Kennedy, Jorden and the body are stretched out on the floor "Now we put your machine to the test" she says looking at Kennedy who smiles wearily

"Great more heavy lifting" Jorden groans rolling to his feet.

Now in the medical room Kennedy and Jorden are grunting as they set the heavy MRI looking machine into the centre of the room.

Next job moving the body onto it. Kennedy and Jorden huff and puff as they lift it up and onto the machine's bed.

Jessica moves to the controls pressing a serious of buttons and setting it to scan for everything and anything and then closes the lid.

Once the group are back in the main hub she fills the team in on the stop-watch still transmitting a signal into the rift. "Okay, what do we do now?" Kennedy asks no one in particular "That scan is going to take a while" Gwen looks towards the medical room's door.

Felicity frowns "We just wait unless you want to try tracing that signal" she adds looking at Jessica. The blonde woman goes to her desk and Kennedy moves to his leaving Jorden, Gwen and Felicity standing in the centre of the room.

"You keep calling him 'it' and 'that'" Felicity states leaving the question hanging there as bait. Gwen's eyes remain on the door to the medical room "Ianto's dead" her voice is cold "The dead don't just come back so whatever that is" she sighs "It's not him, not my friend".

Felicity opens her mouth to speak but can't think of anything helpful to add.

"What if you're wrong" Jorden says softly "The universe is mad, it might actually be him" Gwen turns on her heels eyes ablaze "Don't say that, don't ever say that again"

She looks back to the medical room "Ianto Jones died July 2009" tears slip from her eyes "Whatever that body is it isn't him" she stammers. Then marches to and sits at Felicity's desk which annoys Felicity slightly but she knows better than to protest.

"What do you think it is then?" Jorden asks Felicity but before she answers Jessica's voice shrieks in delight "Felicity" she claps her hands together "The signal has stopped".

Felicity and Jorden go to Jessica's desk where the stopwatch is sitting back in the machine by her monitor.

Gwen still sitting at Felicity's desk turns her face towards the commotion but her mind is not quite there. Kennedy now stands and joins his team at the desk.

"Well?" Felicity looks from the screen to Jessica who as usual is beaming.

"The signal from the watch I traced it to the rift but then it started signally something else until just now when it stopped"

Felicity looks at the meaningless graphs on the screen "What is it communicating with now?"

Jessica brings up the CCTV making it appear on every monitor in the room and the whole room gasps Gwen included.

"Jack" she exclaims for outside the house wearing his infamous army great coat is the handsome Captain Jack Harkness.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten:

"Well, let him in" Felicity commands but Gwen holds up a hand

"No, wait let me prepare him for" she waves her hands around the base and points at the medical room door "prepare for all of this"

"Too late" Kennedy states pointing to the CCTV footage Jack has already entered the house. Of course Gwen realises he is still tracking the distress signal so wouldn't let a locked door stop him.

Unlike Gwen, Jack doesn't search the whole house and heads straight for the guest bathroom, then straight for the dummy shower and opens the hatch.

All eyes fix onto the ladder as a flap of coat appears and then Jack's tall form lands to the floor with a crash of heavy shoes.

"Gwen?" his smooth Atlantic accent has a hint of tension and his eyes fix on the word Torchwood emblazoned on the far wall.

"What the hell is going on? Gwen?"

Without a proper hello Gwen launches into the explanation of Colonel Matthews turning up at her house, about the new Torchwood and of the frozen body of the UNIT soldier who died in Thames House.

She pauses as she reaches the finding of the stop-watch but too late Jack has spotted it, his eyes fixed onto it as he walks towards the desk wrist-strap aglow.

"The source of the distress signal" he says mainly to himself "That looks a lot like…" he trails off meeting Gwen's gaze "You said that UNIT guy came from Thames house?"

Gwen nods a sad expression on her face "And he's not the only one" she moves to the white door of the medical room and holds it open for Jack to see in.

His whole body freezes at the sight "It can't be" he murmurs.

But there it was right in front of him Ianto's body just as it had been the day he died. Same waist-coat, same hair even down to the cut on his cheek.

"It's alive Jack, it has a heartbeat" Gwen whispers

Felicity sits star-struck and a little worried at her desk as she watches Gwen and Jack talking in the kitchen. They have their heads close, every now and again one of them smiles indicating that they are having a general catch-up.

After Jack Harkness was shown the body of Ianto he demanded 'Someone better start talking' his eyes had blazed at Felicity as though it were somehow her fault.

Gwen had quickly ushered Jack into the kitchen and at first the pair stood talking animatedly Jack's arms waving manically towards the group sitting at their desks and at Felicity in particular. Eventually the tall American had slumped into a chair and Gwen had taken a seat next to him.

It was then Felicity observed that the more relaxed conversation had begun; that all happened over an hour ago.

"Jessica, how we looking on that scan?" she asks trying to sound calm but still making the other three jump, they'd all been silent since Jack's arrival.

Jessica brings up a screen with a progress bar "Five minutes is my best estimate" she sighs "The machine keeps glitching going from not recognising his existence and then it does and then it doesn't" she sighs "That's why it's taking so long"

Felicity nods returning her gaze to her heroes in the kitchen still sitting at the table but further apart now.

After Gwen had finished telling Jack everything she knew about the body and how they'd found it she then started the lengthy explanation concerning the four people at the desks it took long because Jack kept interrupting with snarky or sarcastic comments.

After that they just caught up with one another's lives Gwen telling more than Jack did but now they are silent and have run out of things to say their minds on the body several feet away.

"What do you think it is?" Gwen murmurs not needing to clarify what she meant. Jack's eyes move finding hers and staring intently at her.

"Not Ianto" he reaffirms "The dead, stay dead"

Gwen puffs out her cheeks before speaking "I know but there are exceptions" she points to him "Then there's Rex and countless other occasions when the dead came back"

Jack shakes his head "Different circumstances and besides every time it does happen the world scratch that the universe goes wrong in some way" he nods in the direction of the medical room "That isn't Ianto" he states again.

"There is the weevils going missing" Gwen suggests earning a sceptical look from Jack but also a smile.

The speakers crackle above them "The scan's complete" Felicity's strong welsh voice sounds out above them.

Jack and Gwen exchange tense looks and as they are about to leave Jack embraces Gwen tightly "I knew I'd forgotten something" he whispers in her ear "Good to see you Gwen"

The pair separate smiling wide but their smiles fall as they move into the next room.

Space is cramped as the six bodies all gather around Jessica's desk. All three monitors displaying different images; the first one is a series of digital images of the body, the second a list of information and a simplified breakdown of the results and the third displaying CCTV from inside the medical room.

"So" Jessica begins pointing to the digital images on the first screen "From the scan it confirms that the body at least the outer skin is human and not only that it is the original body of Ianto Jones" she pauses glancing at Jack who dismisses her fear "Carry on" he demands.

"Except" she continues pointing to the simplified breakdown of the results "From this it shows that the body is only 55% human, 35% inorganic mainly metal which explains why he is so heavy" she looks at Kennedy and Jorden before continuing "10% is unknown the machine doesn't recognise it" she looks around her.

"Metal?" Gwen asks.

"Yes, but that is not all" Jessica brings up a new image of a brain scan "His brain contains multiple micro-chips and complex computer hard-drives; they are imbedded into his brain tissue"

Kennedy frowns "So it's like some kind of A.I.?" he states looking for confirmation from the others around him.

Jessica shrugs "Maybe, the scans also show metal infused to his joints but the most interesting part is his organs" she brings up a full-body ultra-sound "All of them are functioning like normal healthy organs however there is thin strands of metal holding them together and fixing areas where decomposition had already begun"

"That's a bit grisly" Jorden shivers, Jessica nods but then brings up images of the dead UNIT soldier.

"I think that Private Mark Evans was a failed attempt that was dumped" Jessica announces bringing the scans of Ianto's body back onto the screen "There is metal woven into his face and neck in order to strengthen his facial features and prevent his flesh sinking, if that insertion process went wrong it would have ripped chucks from the flesh much like we saw in the body of the UNIT soldier"

Jack is silent stepping away from the screen and Gwen touches his shoulder "Have you seen this before?" she murmurs

"Only in theory but I never thought it possible" Jack pauses "It was an advanced A.I. programme designed to preserve a living consciousness saving it to a computer that could then be transferred to a new host body however the conservation process was designed to happen moments before death" he sighs "And Ianto was already dead, so it can't be that"

"Unless they found a way to get him back" Felicity muses aloud

Jack turns his gaze on her but ignores her words "Put that thing into the cells, we don't know if it's a threat or not"

Kennedy and Jorden look to Felicity for guidance and she who nods agreement "Our first occupant" Jorden says swaggering towards the medical room with a sheepish Kennedy following behind.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven:

Jack has been staring at the holding cells CCTV for half an hour, sitting at Felicity's desk but she daren't ask him to move.

So she has dragged Jorden's chair next to Jessica's desk to help her finish the rift analysis while Jorden and Kennedy are in the kitchen cooking for everyone with Gwen who is sitting at the table half-watching the two men and half-watching Jack.

Jessica is pointing at her screen bringing Felicity's attention back "Felicity, I've found three other rift spikes connected to dead bodies" she brings up pictures of all three bodies all with unusual tearing to their faces and necks "I got into the UNIT database and it confirmed that all three bodies belonged to people who died in Thames house"

Jack's gaze flicks from the CCTV footage to the two woman across the room from him "So you're saying there were more of these" he points to the image of Ianto.

"Failed ones, yes" Jessica agrees in a voice which is a little too high-pitched from nerves "UNIT seem to have come to the conclusion of cyber involvement"

A chill hits all three of them "But the mechanics and science involved in creating this body is completely beyond Cybermen" Jessica adds "The technology here is focused around saving data including saving all the pain receptors something cyber technology wouldn't usually do"

"Unless they were trying to create a sleeper agent" Felicity mumbles aloud

"Not in this time-line" Jack announces "Nope, whatever this experiment is, it's something new"

"And in the 21st century you've got to be ready" Felicity grumbles under her breath gaining a hard stare from Jack.

Gwen enters the room carrying ham, egg and chips placing them in front of Jack "The rest of us are eating in the kitchen" she says looking at Felicity and Jessica but it's clear they are not who she is addressing.

Just as Gwen turns to go back into the kitchen Jack grabs her arm "It's not the same Gwen, Torchwood can't just start again"

She looks at him with those sad eyes that he has grown to know so well "I know, Jack" she whispers pulling out of his grasp "But I'm needed here, we're needed here" she points to the screen displaying the holding cells "Especially now"

Jack's eyes turn back to the body of Ianto and Gwen takes this opportunity to join the others at the kitchen table.

"You did not?" Gwen exclaims placing another chip into her mouth, Jorden and Kennedy nod and laugh.

"Yep, our first and only ever alien encounter and this daft lad decides to swap my gun for a water pistol" Kennedy shoves Jorden in the ribs.

Jorden shrugs "How was I supposed to know you'd go wandering off into the sewers" he smiles.

Gwen shakes her head "And when was this?"

Felicity frowns "We'd been going for about six weeks when reports of a mad-man in a Halloween costume surfaced" she looks sheepish "We or rather Kennedy followed the weevil into the sewer and was lucky that Jessica had been tracking him"

Jessica smiles "They'd all be lost without me"

A crackle of sound enters the kitchen before an angry American voice "Does anyone do any work around here? Your guest is awake"

Everyone exchanges panicked looks before scattering into the main office to look over Jack's shoulder at the CCTV which shows Ianto standing in the holding cell looking right at the camera.

Jack looks at Jorden "You" he points to the screen "Go see what it wants"

"Me" he looks to Felicity for help but she shrugs mouthing 'its captain Jack' before shrugging again.

"Yes, you" Jack repeats his eyes not leaving the screen "I don't see those stubby legs on my screen"

Jorden scowls but heads towards the holding cells. The white room seems brighter than ever Ianto Jones's eyes fix on the new arrival making Jorden feel vulnerable.

Ianto smiles "Hello" his voice coming out in a welsh baritone "Nice place" he looks around the cell "I've woken up in worse"

"Yep, hi hello" Jorden replies stiffly "Do you know where you are?" if the infamous Captain Jack Harkness was testing him Jorden would do his best to prove the smart bastard wrong about him.

Ianto is frowning "Well, I'm guessing it's not the Ritz" he looks at the camera "I'm thinking it's either UNIT or some other self-righteous organisation so probably Torchwood"

Jorden nods "Torchwood five" he looks at the camera winking and he just knows that Felicity is swearing at him.

"Okay, what is your name then?" Jorden states looking at the smartly dressed Welshman who smiles again at this.

"Ah, so you've scanned me then" he taps his head "Quite a mess isn't it and a little unbelievable I'm guessing for some" Ianto's eyes flicker to the camera.

Gwen's eyes are on Jack who has started to look a little sick the moment Ianto started talking "He knows you're here" she murmurs

"IT" he hisses "IT knows I'm here, IT brought me here" he points to the stop-watch and then to CCTV images "and I don't know what IT wants but it brought me here for something"

Gwen looks back at the screen where the two men have gone quiet until Ianto's smooth, measured voice comes from the speakers "I'd like to speak with the boss"

Jorden turns to face the camera with a worried expression, Felicity frowns looking at Jack who is now standing up beside her.

She now notices that he looks a little sick at the sound of his old lover's voice. On the screen Jorden is turned back towards the face of Ianto "Jack is here, I could go fetch him for you"

But the HD image of Ianto shakes his head "No, not my boss I want to talk to your boss" he smiles kindly "A miss. Felicity Jenkins I do believe"

This time Jack looks at Felicity who is looking ashen faced "Why me? How does he…it knows my name?"

Jack shrugs "I honestly don't understand much that's happened today" he nods to the CCTV "Don't recognise his existence too much and only ask vague questions".

Felicity nods heading towards the holding cells, the moment she enters the room Ianto flickers his eyes to her "Welcome Miss. Jenkins, leader of the new Torchwood" he smiles "Your boyfriend has been keeping me good company" he raises a knowing eyebrow.

Felicity shivers at this, how does he know so much already? Jorden nods to Felicity before heading out of the room "You wanted to speak with me" she states rather than asks and Ianto nods "Yes" he moves closer to the cell wall stopping with his nose almost against the thick glass "I'm curious" he sighs "Disappointing" he murmurs then beams at Felicity.

Looking the glass Felicity can see her stern expression reflected back at her "What's disappointing?" she demands making Ianto smile again

"Being back at Torchwood" he counts on his fingers "Torchwood five I think Jorden said" Felicity frowns wondering if Jorden should have kept quiet about their organisation.

Ianto raises an eyebrow "So there was a Torchwood four?" he frowns "Disappointing" he murmurs again.

"You already said" Felicity replies it was strange it seemed so natural to talk to this man but is he a man or a computer?

Ianto is smiling "I'm guessing that he is watching this conversation"

Felicity nods not needing to ask who he meant "And members of your team are analysing my vocal and facial responses to determine how A.I. I am" he pauses "Because for me to be the real Ianto Jones would be impossible"

Felicity shrugs "Very unlikely"

Ianto smiles "Because the dead, stay dead" Ianto chuckles "Jack doesn't like you, does he?" Felicity flinches but finds herself smiling back "I think me and my team offend him, pretending to be Torchwood rather than honouring it"

Ianto nods and looks at the camera "Everyone in Torchwood died that's why" he smiles "Unless you're Gwen Cooper"

Jack is grinding his teeth and frowning at the screen whilst Gwen grips her chest with her hands.

Around them Jessica, Jorden and Kennedy are alive with activity running analysis on Ianto's speech patterns just as predicted by the prisoner.

Back on the screen Felicity is standing closer to the glass "Does that make you bitter? That you died and she lived?"

Ianto looks horrified "No, no of course not but it's a fact that we all died apart from her"

"Her and Jack" Felicity corrects but Ianto shakes his head at her.

"No, Jack died too or at least a version of him did"

Felicity frowns "What does that mean?"

Ianto shrugs "Who knows? It is Jack we're talking about" he turns a smile back on Felicity "Except I want to talk about you, tell me about Torchwood five"

Felicity shakes her head "Not sure if I should really" she indicates the cell around him. Ianto waves a hand around himself "Exactly not like I can do anything from inside here, not that I want to do anything"

He pulls an innocent expression "As I said just curious"

"That's what worries me" Felicity mumbles "Feels like you're casing this place"

Ianto smiles "How's that then?"

Felicity smiles "We've scanned you remember, we've seen the amount of alien tech woven into your brain alone which means you're a potential threat and we don't usually go around blabbing everything to potential threats"

Ianto shakes his head again and a slightly weary look appears on his face "I just wanted to talk to somebody" he whispers before going over to the metal framed bed and laying down.

"That's it then? Not going to say anymore" Felicity asks but the man with Ianto Jones's face doesn't reply.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve:

Felicity enters the main hub and leans against the wall under the words Torchwood.

"It seems so genuine" Gwen murmurs looking at the screen but she sees Jack look at her, that look as if she were a child.

"It's an imitation, nothing more" he snaps back at her "Don't let it trick you"

Jessica straightens up at her desk "That might not actually be the case" she points to her screen "I've been analysing its speech and facial responses against footage of the real Ianto Jones and got a match of 99.9%"

"Same" comes a chorus from Kennedy and Jorden.

Jack walks from Felicity's desk over to Jessica "Then the analysis is wrong, that thing in there is not real" he marches towards the holding cells but pauses at the door.

"Not real" he mutters and with a flash of great coat enters the room. His eyes focus on the five empty cells before turning to the only occupied one.

Like the others it's a simple white room with a metal framed bed and a metal toilet bowl. On the bed laying impossibly still is the thing with Ianto Jones's face.

"What are you?" Jack hisses leaning against a far wall and looking into the cell in question "Why did you bring me back here? To Earth?" further silence greets him.

"Okay, silent treatment is it?" he brings out the stop-watch from his pocket, he had snatched it from the pretty blonde's desk "So let's start with what I do know, I was minding my own business in a nice pub on the planet…well that doesn't matter" he looks at his wrist-strap "When a distress signal came through on this" he taps at it but the Ianto imposter doesn't look up.

"I'll ask again; what are you?" Jack hisses through his teeth launching off the wall and standing with his nose touching the cell glass but still no response.

"Anyway I used the distress signal to make co-ordinates that brought me to Earth, only I got the calculations wrong and arrived a week too early. I had to wait for the source of the signal to drop through the rift" he shakes his head "Time-travel can be so messy" he steps away from the glass slightly "So I follow the trail here to this ordinary house in Cardiff only to find a bunch of amateurs trying to re-start Torchwood" he chuckles "And Gwen as their baby-sitter it would seem" he points into the cell "And then there's you, whatever you are"

Still the Ianto creature doesn't move or respond, Jack rubs a thumb over the stop-watch in his hand. The one he'd given to Ianto Jones. The real Ianto Jones.

"Why use the stop-watch? There are easier ways to send a distress signal using this seems risky"

"Lots of things you can do with a stop-watch" comes a murmur from the cell and those welsh vowels send a shiver down Captain Jack's spine.

"Don't" he stammers and the thing with Ianto Jones face sits up before coming to stand in front of Jack "I'm not fake, I'm real I came back" it says through the glass coming through the speakers in the room on Jack's side and it smiles sadly at Jack "But you are right not to trust me"

Jack frowns "What does that mean?" he moves back closer to the glass when a crackle comes over the speakers "Jack! We can't get in; can you get out?" Gwen's voice shouts over the speakers and Jack runs for the exit but the door doesn't budge.

"What have you done?" Jack growls looking over his shoulder at Ianto or whatever has his face which is still smiling with sad eyes.

"I've hacked into the remote controlled access codes and used them to dead-bolt all doors" his response is calm as if he were informing Jack of the weather or what he'd had for breakfast "You see I need you out of the way" he pauses "For now at least"

Jack turns away from the door "Oh yeah, well you're locked in too so what's the plan now?"

Ianto's smile brightens "Oh but I'm not really locked in" he taps his head "You see the whole time I was unconscious my mind was connecting into the building's network and that group out there really helped by plugging me into their scanner" he points to the doors "I have access to their entire system"

Jack looks horrified by this "What for? What do you want?"

Ianto's smile fades "I looked myself up in local news; Ianto Jones died July 2009" he frowns "Nothing much on my funeral"

Gwen's voice shouts through the doors "The sound system is broken now; Jack can you hear me? We can't get out"

"Yes I can hear you just about, is there any way to override the doors?"

"Jessica's working on it but something is blocking her" Gwen replies

Jack frowns and looks at the prisoner "Okay, we can talk but just open the doors and let them leave"

"No can do I'm afraid" comes the reply "Nothing personal" he adds and as he does the stop-watch flicks open in Jack's hand releasing a thin smoke into Jack's face before dispersing.

"4, 5, 6" Ianto murmurs in a mocking but detached voice and the cell door slides open. Jack is struggling for breath but manages the word 'why?'

Ianto catches Jack before he falls and cradles the handsome man in his arms "As I said before I just need you out of the way" he strokes Jack's face "How the roles reverse, hey" he smiles "Does this remind you of how I went?" he whispers grabbing Jack under the arms and dragging him into the empty cell.

Jack takes a few strained breaths; the last thing he sees is the body of Ianto Jones leaving the room. With Jack Harkness's revolver in his hand.

Gwen comes too with a jolt and pain surges up her arm. Her arms are tied to the leg of a desk and around her the unconscious forms of Felicity, Jessica, Jorden and Kennedy are in the same position. Jorden and Felicity are tied at the same desk to Gwen's right with Kennedy and Jessica tied to the desk behind that.

In the centre of the four desks is the body of Ianto Jones with his shirt sleeves rolled up and Jack's revolver resting in his dominant hand.

Connected to his head are brain sensors which are connected into the monitors around him.

"What are you doing?" Gwen croaks out weakly forcing her to repeat the question louder. Ianto's eyes flicker open and swivel to look at her.

A huge smile spreads over his face "Hello Gwen" he then looks a little embarrassed and straightens his tie a little "Sorry about knocking you out like that but you see I can't trust any of you right now" he pauses "All of this is just a precaution until you accept me to be real"

Gwen struggles to sit up straight on the floor "You didn't answer my question, what are you doing? With the computers I mean"

Ianto nods making the wires tangle slightly "Just downloading some things from their system" he smiles "Filling in the blank spaces, the things I've missed in the last seven years" his face falls suddenly "Oh god, poor Jack" he looks at Gwen "His grandson?"

Gwen looks at the floor and nods "There wasn't another way, he saved millions"

Ianto sucks in a breath through his teeth "Jack never told me" this causes Gwen to look up frowning.

"How could he? You were already dead or at least the real you already was"

Ianto shakes his head "Not that Jack" he points at the screen closest to her now displaying CCTV of the holding cell containing Captain Jack Harkness who is gasping back to life.

"What other Jack is there?" Gwen replies exasperated "You're not making sense, nothing about you being here makes sense"

Ianto sighs "Another Jack, Jack from his personal future he's a time traveller again so it's complicated" Ianto sighs again "The Jack that knows I'm alive again"

Gwen presses her head against the desk leg "None of this makes sense still, why would you send a distress signal to an earlier version of Jack?"

Ianto's sad smile returns "Gwen Cooper, the last surviving member of Torchwood three" his smile widens but is not happy well not exactly "Mother of Anwen and wife of Rhys Williams" he sighs "You were the best of us in many ways" he brings up images of the Torchwood team "Tosh, Owen and I had nothing outside of Torchwood but you had Rhys" his smile falters "A life of your own…maybe that is why you lived when we all died"

Gwen shakes her head "I just got lucky" a tear falls down Ianto's face.

"And you don't know how lucky you are" he murmurs and suddenly rift alerts flash on all the computers.

"What the fuck" Jorden exclaims trying to wrench free from his desk which stirs the other three unconscious bodies.

"Is that you?" Gwen shouts nodding at the computers still flashing rift warnings but Ianto shakes his head murmuring 'so lucky'.

Jessica looking dizzy pulls herself to her knees and peers at the monitors "It is him; he's trying to open the rift"

Felicity tries to stand but cries out when the zip-ties pull her down into a half-crouch, half bending position "Ianto Jones" she declares "I'm sorry; you're real and I believe that now but tell us why are you opening the rift?"

Ianto points to the monitors closest to Felicity "I'm a prisoner aren't I, I'm just trying to make my phone call"

"Who are you calling?" she replies.

'Ghostbusters' mutters Jorden beside her earning a glare from Felicity.

"Time will tell" Ianto mutters closing his eyes.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter thirteen:

Jack had been listening to the whole conversation from the holding cell presumably Ianto or whatever it was had wanted him too.

The speakers have fallen silent now and Jack takes this as his chance. Looking at his wrist-strap he changes the frequency before his body is seized by blue light.

Gwen watches in horror as Jack bursts into the room with an electric flash and in seconds Ianto has shot him; once in the head and once in the heart.

Jack's limp body falls down, his bloody head hitting the toe of her shoe. "Jack" she wails trying to shuffle closer to him. She knows her upset is slightly stupid, knowing that he'd be back soon and wasn't really gone. But despite all the times she had seen him die it still hurt her every time.

Ianto is standing looking at all the monitors which are flickering "What is that? What are you doing?" Felicity demands still in her awkward bent over position.

Ianto doesn't look at her "Miss. Jenkins, you'll be more comfortable if you sat down"

He moves to the monitors closest to Gwen "Please answer" he mutters looking at the flickering screen which then goes black just as Jack Harkness gasps into life. His eyes shooting open to greet Gwen.

Ianto kicks the chair next to him which hits Gwen's feet before bouncing into Jack's shoulder "Fuck" Ianto yells puffing out his cheeks and facing Jack "You ruin everything" he growls his welsh accent sounding especially pronounced.

Jack frowns "Don't talk to me" he orders and Gwen notices a flash of pain flicker across Ianto's face.

Gwen looks at Ianto "What do you want?" her voice breaks slightly; she should have stayed away. She should be with Rhys and Anwen.

"Right now, I want to be anywhere but here sadly someone isn't answering my calls" he states ripping the brain sensors from his skin.

"Who isn't answering your calls?"

"I'm not permitted to tell you that, it's part of the rules"

Jack starts to ease himself onto his feet and Ianto is quick to fire a warning shot into his foot. Jack lurches slightly but manages to catch his fall using the desk next to him; the action causes the stop-watch to fall out of his coat pocket and skid towards Ianto.

Jack's observant gaze notices Ianto recoil from the stop-watch and go to stand further away next to the desk where the new Torchwood are tied to it.

He also notices that the stout, cocky bloke has his zip-ties undone and is crouched and helping the tall, weasel faced man with his bonds.

The man with Ianto's face is still looking at Gwen and Jack clearly having disregarded the group behind him as harmless. Jack smiles as he watches the group freeing themselves as their captor continues to glare in the wrong direction.

Gwen's eyes remain on Ianto "You said its part of the rules, what rules are they then?"

Ianto rolls his eyes "I'm not permitted to explain the rules" he says in a bored voice. He takes a step towards Jack and Gwen.

Watching from behind Jorden and Kennedy spring forward each taking hold of one of Ianto's arms. The Welshman yells in surprise and Jack takes no time in leaping to his feet scooping up the stop-watch as he does.

As he places the stop-watch within a foot of Ianto the other man squirms "You don't understand what you're doing" he shouts a shrill sound of fear in his voice.

Captain Jack Harkness frowns moving it closer and Ianto presses his body into the two men restraining him in an attempt to move further away "Paradox" comes a frightened plea from Ianto and Jack steps away placing the stop-watch back into his pocket.

"Start talking" growls Jack

Ianto swallows loudly "You told me not to talk to you"

Jack spins on his heel "Changed my mind, I want to understand what the hell you're doing here"

Ianto nods "Waist-coat pocket" he looks at Kennedy on his left "Only I can touch it" Kennedy looks at Jorden then at Jack but gets two shrugs as a response. Kennedy lets go of Ianto's left arm and Jorden quickly twists Ianto's right arm behind his back making the Welshman wince.

Ianto reaches into his waist-coat pocket and produces the same silver stop-watch "This one is mine" he says smiling then points to Jack's coat pocket "That one is mine from the future, my personal future I mean"

Jack looks at Ianto "Paradox" he murmurs

Ianto nods "Potentially and I'd rather not find out either way" he returns his stop-watch into his waist-coat pocket "It's complicated but basically the stop-watch had to be sent through first but then a past version of me followed. Having them both on Earth here and now is risky because technically this one" he pats his waistcoat "Cancels out the existence of that one" he points to Jack's coat pocket.

Gwen frowns "I'm confused" she notices that Felicity and Jessica are both sat down at desks typing furiously.

Ianto notices too; his eyes narrow "You're trying to shut me out of the system" he shuts his eyes and all the lights begin to dim.

"Stop that!" Jack warns but his eyes are on Felicity and Jessica who hold their hands away from the keyboards.

The lights return to normal and Ianto beams at the people around him "Thank you" his eyes close again "Rex Matheson makes an interesting read" he mutters opening his eyes to look at Jack "You might not be the only one now".

Felicity swears suddenly "We have a problem" Ianto frowns shutting his eyes briefly and CCTV from outside the house appears on all the monitors.

Outside the house are four figures; three people wearing red burets and at the back of the group Gwen recognises Colonel Matthews "They're here to check in with me, I was supposed to have shut this" she gestures around the hub "organisation down by now"

Ianto looks at Jorden "Take me back to the cells, right now!" Jorden shrugs and starts to pull Ianto towards the cells "Don't let them find me" Ianto's voice is full of terror as he gazes at Jack.

Gwen sees something flash across Jack's features but his face sets into a stern expression as he turns away from Ianto's disappearing figure and looks at Felicity "Let them in" he states.

Felicity and Jessica both start typing bringing up the CCTV images for the entire house then Felicity activates the front door confirming that Ianto had relinquished control of the system. The UNIT soldiers draw their weapons before entering the building "Activate the hatch" Felicity says to Jessica.

The blonde nods; she jumps as a door slams and Jorden re-enters the hub "He is really freaking out in there" he puts a thumb back towards the door.

Gwen notices that same look flash across Jack's face but now she recognises it; pain. Ianto's distress was hurting him. She'd never seen his face this stony for so long.

"You, okay?" she murmurs placing a hand on his arm, he grins one of his cheesy smiles.

"You know me Gwen, love a man in a red beret" with that he puts his hands in his pockets making his coat splay out behind him.

Gwen drops her hand from his arm "You think he's real" it's a statement not a question. Jack frowns but after a few heartbeats he nods.

Gwen smiles "But that's good isn't it?" she whispers "Ianto's alive" Jack turns on her - his face furious.

"He's an abomination, Gwen!" he hisses pointing to the cell door "The technology in his brain alone is now the most valuable thing on this planet, UNIT wouldn't keep him alive because they'd see him as a threat" Jack pauses "Which he is, you saw what he is capable of. He can hack into computers systems with just his mind."

Gwen opens her mouth to protest but Jack puts a hand to her mouth "What's to stop him hacking into government information or launching nuclear weapons?"

Gwen pulls Jack's hand away "This is Ianto we're talking about; why would he do that?" Jack shrugs "Because he can, we still don't know who made him or why?" A rattle on the ladder ceases their conversation.

Two blank faced UNIT soldiers land onto the hub's floor. On the left is a handsome dark skinned man with an angler jaw and on the right is a bulky pale faced woman with muscles to rival some bouncers. Joining them lands a tall, tight faced whippet of a man and Colonel Matthews bulldog face.

Matthews walks to the front of the trio his eyes fixing onto Jack Harkness before moving to Jorden, Felicity, Jessica and Kennedy who are huddled by the back left desk.

The Colonel's eyes finally come to rest on Gwen "I would say your mission has failed, Miss Cooper" he looks at Jack "Captain Harkness, I see you've been introduced to the new Torchwood"

Jack beams "Well that is one name for them" he looks at the four huddled around the desk "I could think of a few more"

Colonel Matthews steps forward coming to stand in the centre of the four desks. Jack and Gwen remain by the front left desk. It's now Gwen realises that all of them had migrated towards the left of the room where the holding cell entrance is; they were creating a barrier between UNIT and Ianto.

Felicity steps away from the back left desk holding her hand out "Felicity Jenkins, we have never formally met" Colonel Matthews looks at her hand, then back at her face.

"There is a reason for that, Miss. Jenkins"

Felicity drops her hand and strides towards her own desk which is the back right one. She sits down and begins typing purposefully. She nods to her team; Jessica walks towards Gwen and Jack.

The small blonde sits and also begins typing bringing up old rift analysis data. Kennedy sits down at his desk behind Jessica's but doesn't start working.

Jorden shrugs remaining where he is at Kennedy's desk in the back left. Gwen sighs and goes to sit at Jorden's desk in the front right.

Jack and Colonel Matthews frown at this strange little show. The UNIT soldiers remain by the ladder with blank expressions but their eyes follow the movements of everyone in the room.

Jack looks at Jorden who shrugs again, Colonel Matthews looks from Gwen to Felicity "What are you doing?" he demands marching over to Felicity's desk, she looks up with a sweet smile.

"Working, sir" she brings up a list onto her screen, it's a UNIT file and the Colonel looks set to erupt "Private Mark Evans, Henry Walsh, Claire Kelly Smith, Jeffery Linken and Terry Woods" Felicity reads aloud "All deceased July 2009"

The Colonel flinches and Felicity continues "All five bodies were found in the Cardiff area following rift activity over the last six months" she pauses bringing up images of each one all with rip marks on their face or head "All had been frozen prior to discovery"

She swivels in her chair to face everyone in the room "So what is wrong with UNIT's investigation?" she looks at each person in the room; Jessica is still typing, Jorden is picking something from his teeth, Kennedy is looking at the floor, Gwen is desperately trying not to look at the holding cell door, the UNIT soldiers are still standing too attention with expressionless features and Colonel Matthews is glaring at her with a face like beetroot.

Only Jack's face is alight "The rift" he enthuses "They are too focused on the bodies that they missed the rift's involvement"

Felicity smiles; a genuine toothy grin "Yes Jack, you see all the bodies ended up here in Cardiff. But it was one body a month, that seems a little too calculated almost as though someone were sending them through because of course someone was" she points to the rift data on Jessica's screen "Someone or something out there has control of the rift"

Colonel Matthews has now turned ashen faced but shakes his head "Well, enough of that we're not here for you Miss. Jenkins" he pauses looking around the office "We're here because of a distress signal we picked up from this building"

Everyone's eyes turn to Jack or more specifically Jack's coat pocket. His hand clenches around the stop-watch contained there.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter fourteen:

Jorden remains looking bored trying to seem passive and unimportant to the UNIT soldiers. The ear-piece crackles as Ianto murmurs further instructions into his ear. The moment Jorden and Ianto had entered the holding cells; Ianto had given Jorden the ear-piece and tiny camera which is currently stuck to the zip of Jorden's hoodie.

Ianto had explained that both were connected to his brain so that he could access them in order to see and hear what Jorden does.

Ianto had said that he needed to know what UNIT knew and what they wanted. Jorden had been sceptical of whether to trust Ianto or not but then Ianto had uttered one word and for some reason that was all Jorden had needed to agree. That word had been 'Torchwood'.

Now Ianto was talking about coffee which was frankly just confusing Jorden. Perhaps Ianto had forgotten that everything he said and thought was being transmitted to his ears.

Colonel Matthews was ordering the soldiers to search the basement for the source of the signal this snapped Ianto back into focus "Offer to help them" he commands into Jorden's ear-piece. Jorden frowns wanting to ask how that will work but shrugs.

He looks at the UNIT soldiers "I can give you the grand tour" he announces in his usual cocky manner. The soldiers look to Colonel Matthews who is now giving Jorden his full attention "Private Fellows" he smiles or at least Jorden thinks it's a smile, hard to tell with the thin line of the Colonel's mouth.

"Colonel Matthews" Jorden saults "Honour to meet you, sir" Jorden notices Felicity's eyebrows shoot up and a smirk on her face.

Colonel Matthews nods "Shame I can't say the same, soldier" he takes a step towards the younger man "Technically I have grounds to have you on a court martial" his eyes are stern "From what I understand, you didn't leave our organisation on the best of terms"

Jorden flinches but smiles grimly "I felt I had no choice following UNIT's actions during the 456 crisis"

The mention of the 456 creates an instant atmosphere, Gwen's eyes are now firmly on the holding cells and Ianto's panicky voice sounds in Jorden's ear "Could she be any more obvious? You need to stall them"

Colonel Matthews nods to his soldiers "Very well, Private Fellows enlighten us to your operation here" Ianto sighs in Jorden's ear.

Jorden approaches the soldiers "Please call me Jorden" he states holding a hand out to the muscular woman first. She accepts his handshake with a firm almost painful grip "Private Eleanor Founders" Jorden nods turning to the black male soldier who saults "Private Dane Vincent" Jorden returns the sault.

The tall man in the back doesn't introduce himself "Traitor" Jorden hears him grumble and its now that Jorden recognises the bean pole of a man as Private Robert Hengraves; his former training buddy.

"Nice to see you too, mate" Jorden calls out to his old friend. Robert scowls pulling out a scanner from his inside pocket.

Eleanor and Dane exchange a puzzled look so Jorden smiles at them "We were trained together at UNIT until I…" he trails off.

"Deserted" Robert mutters waving the device around the room, Jorden scowls at him.

"Don't trust us?" he states pointing at the device, Robert stands too attention and smiles at Jorden then at Jack Harkness.

"Old Torchwood, new Torchwood makes no difference; UNIT can't trust you" he pauses "You're very much known for withholding information"

Ianto swears in Jorden's ears and begins ranting about the time UNIT tried to kill him. Jorden smiles at this gaining a quizzical look from both Robert and Captain Jack.

Ianto scolds Jorden who drops the smile "Let's start with this room" he says pointing to the hatch "It operates both manually and remotely, so we can keep it locked if needs be or open it if we have guests" he indicates the UNIT soldiers with his hands.

He then points to the glass walled kitchen "That is our kitchen, sound proofed so that we can get some R&R when we need but still see and communicate with the team via a microphone and speaker system".

He waves a hand around them "And this room is our main office or our main hub as we prefer to call it; it has four desks" he points to the four desks which form a square in the centre of the room.

"The front two are mine" he points to the front right "and Jessica's" he points to the front left desk which Jessica is still sat at "The back two belong to our fearless leader Felicity" he indicates the back right desk which Felicity is scowling from, Jorden offers her a smile before turning back to look at the soldiers "and this is Kennedy's desk" he finishes with a wave to Kennedy sitting at the back left desk.

Colonel Matthews looks impatient but Jorden continues "The filing cabinets contain artefacts and other junk that we've collected over the past six months".

Jorden turns to look at the left wall "The white door with the red cross is our medical room complete with high-tech full body scanner and the metal door next to that is our holding cells which are woefully under-used" he looks ashamed at the UNIT soldiers "You see we've never encountered any alien or human threat to occupy them".

He bows "And that is my audio tour of the Hub complete" Ianto murmurs his gratitude in Jorden's ear but Jorden is still unsure what he has achieved from that speech. What was Ianto doing from his holding cell? he was definitely up to something.

"Colonel Matthews, I think it's about time you left Torchwood to get on with their work now" Captain Jack declares approaching the Colonel with purposeful strides "Now that you've seen the place for yourself"

The Colonel scowls "You approve of this disgrace of a team?" he shakes his head "I could arrest each and every one of you right now"

Gwen stands from Jorden's desk "But you won't" she states and the Colonel nods.

"For now I will leave you be but the moment we suspect you of withholding information on alien activity or technology then, then we'll be back" he looks at Felicity "Miss. Jenkins, UNIT will be monitoring you very closely".

The Colonel begins to head for the ladder when the scanner in Robert's hand begins to beep "Sir, there is a large amount of rift energy coming from the Captain" the Colonel Matthews waves this away.

"The Captain travels a lot" he points to the wrist-strap on Jack's arm but Robert shakes his head and points to the holding cells.

"There is also rift energy from the holding cells along with one heat signature" the Colonel turns a stern expression on the budding Torchwood.

Ianto swears in Jorden's ear "So close" he mutters. Jorden shakes his head realising that Ianto Jones's great plan was simply to bore UNIT into leaving.

Jorden shakes his head "You fucking genius" it's only when he hears his own exasperated voice in the room that he realises he'd spoken aloud earning a hissed 'shut up' from Ianto.

Robert turns the scanner in Jorden's direction "Sir, he's wired" Robert places the scanner against Jorden's hoodie and its alert gets louder.

Robert pulls the scanner away "Remove the device" he commands

Ianto sighs in Jorden's ear "Just do it" he mumbles in a defeated tone.

Jorden picks the tiny camera from the hoodie's zip and places it onto the outstretched hand of Robert. Robert places it onto the scanner "Fascinating, it's a camera with a microphone but the size and complexity of it is far beyond current Earth technology"

Robert looks at Jorden "And the other device"

Jorden shakes his head "Don't know what you mean mate?"

Jack grits his teeth "Just do it" he says echoing Ianto's earlier words and just as Jorden goes to fish the ear-piece from his ear canal he hears Ianto apologise.

He places it onto the scanner complete with little flakes of ear-wax. Robert smiles "Again this is far beyond current tech, it not only transmits audio but from what I can see from the scanner it transmits brain waves as audio" he looks at Colonel Matthews "It can transmit thoughts as audible waves"

Colonel Matthews nods to Robert "Thank you, good work Private Hengraves" he looks at Jorden "Well then, Private Fellows who has been chatting to you"

Jorden looks to Jack and then Gwen for direction now that Ianto was no longer in his ear but they just offer blank expressions.

He looks to Jessica and Kennedy who are looking at Felicity. Felicity is looking at Colonel Matthews smiling "Ianto Jones" she says smiling.

The holding cell's main door opens and Ianto emerges. His handsome face set in a determined smile. He has straightened his tie and waistcoat with his white shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow.

The UNIT team stare at the dead-man who smiles at each one in turn "Who's for coffee?" he says in his friendly welsh tones.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter fifteen:

Colonel Matthews has drawn his gun "An abomination" he growls just as Jack had predicted thinks Gwen.

Robert is aiming the scanner at Ianto slowly approaching, presumably to get a better reading. The other two soldiers join their leader by aiming hand-guns at the Welshman.

Ianto doesn't seem fazed "That's a no to coffee, then?" his smile fades "You know this isn't the first time UNIT have pointed guns at me" he looks at Jorden "You see Private Fellows here, mentioned the 456 earlier and I distinctly remember UNIT trying to wipe Torchwood out back then"

Shame flashes across Colonel Matthews face "Mistakes were made back then" he nods "From all sides" he adds quickly.


End file.
